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108 If it had not been that you were specially promoted for gallant Conduct there would not be any juniors in the service drawing long-service pay ?—No; but there might be juniors in the Forces altogether, but not in the Police Force. 109 You said something about your uniform being destroyed :do you not always get compensation when you ask for it ?—lf it is 'destroyed in the execution of your duty ; but for the ordinary wear and tear you do not get anything. 110. But whenever it has been destroyed in making an arrest you have been compensated I— Yes ' "ill. Then you said something just now about the American handcuffs being superior to ours; have you examined them carefully ?—Yes. 112. Did it strike you that there was anything at all dangerous about them?— No. 1 know the detective service here use them, and they have no fault to find with them. 113. You said you could make them as small as you liked ; what happens to the end when you slide it all the way?— The end protrudes about J in. 114 And you could jamb it into a man's head, or he could strike it into yours ?—lt strikes me as very improbable, because when a man is handcuffed I do not think he could do that. 115. When there is a general election it is necessary to shift men all over the place ?—1 do not know; it may be so. . . 0 116. You must know that they are withdrawn from the country to more important places ?— Yes "117 Therefore these men are disfranchised, are they not. Take Levin, for instance: the chances are the man would be transferred down here, and he would therefore be disfranchised, would he not?— Yes. . . , 118 Then if it was found out, or if some candidate thought he was any particular colour, would they not have a grievance with the department for having taken this man away because he was of the right or wrong colour; is that possible ?—They might have reasons, but I would not care to say that was the reason. . 119 Might it not be put forth as a reason ?—The man might be very useful in the electorate ; it would not be from the fact of his having one single vote that a candidate would have a grievance. 120. Then, I understand you to say that the discontent you speak of in the Force is purely a matter of pay, and retiring-allowance?— Yes. ,-,--, T ii. t r 121 Colonel Pitt.] You spoke of the men in the Force having friends. Is there any teeling m the Force that men are advanced or promoted through outside influence ?—There may be feeling to that effect, but it is only ordinary barrack-room talk, and there is nothing in it. 122. You think there is nothing in it ? —No. . 123. Mr. Tunbridge.} You said there was a good deal of dissatisfaction owing to there being no encouragement to the men for good conduct ?—Yes, undoubtedly. 124. What you meant by that, I presume, is that well-conducted men are not encouraged as they might be to continue well-conducted, and perform their duties satisfactorily ?—Yes. 125. And that there has been stagnation in promotion ?—Undoubtedly; little or no pro--126. What has caused a good deal of that stagnation of promotion in the Force ?—No doubt it is due to the absence of any superannuation scheme, when men would retire at a certain age, and of course leave a way clear for their places to be filled up from the ranks. 127. Then, this stagnation is in a great measure to be removed could a superannuation scheme be adopted ? —Yes, or compulsory retirement at'a certain age. 128. In reference to compulsory retirement at a certain age: do you think the colony generally would like to see a man who has passed thirty or forty years in the service of the colony sent out of the Force on to the world with one year's pay?—l say one month's pay for each year ot service. „ T . 129. I know ; but the present conditions are that they get one year s pay only >.— It is most 130. You do not think the people of the colony generally would like to see that done ?—No. 131. Then, there is no alternative but to have some pension fund, or to pay them one month s pay for each year of service ?—Yes. 132. Do not you think a pension fund would be preferable to a gratuity ?—1 do not think so, inasmuch as it is thought the men would be called upon to pay out of their own pockets to keep this pension fund going. It would be like giving them Is. per day promotion, and taking 6d. or 9d. a day to keep the fund going. 133. Do you know anything of the pension system of other forces >. —JNo. 134. Do not you know that in most of them the men contribute towards their own pensions ?— I believe they do. . . . ' 135. You would not expect this Force to get pensions on better conditions than others /—No. The only thing is, you cannot start a pension scheme under better conditions than the Bank of New Zealand pension fund started, and now they are trying their utmost to get rid of it. 136. Would you object to a pension scheme where the men had to contribute under any circumstances ?—Of course, it is a very argumentative subject, and I have not considered it sufficiently to give an answer. 137. May I put it this way : Do you not think that a pension scheme would be very beneficial to the Force?—l think so, looking at it from the standpoint of the Force at the present time. 138. The Chairman.] That is, a pension scheme as against a retiring-allowance ?—A retiringallowance is preferable to a pension scheme under those circumstances. 139. Mr. Tunbridge.] That is, assuming you get one month's pay for each year of service ?— Yes.